The Performer
by traningfortheballetpotter
Summary: When Willow Devlen has a run in with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Tonks at her work, the job she had kept quiet from all of her friends, Sirius just has to go and make her life ten times more complicated. She wishes things would go back to how they were before but also doesn't think she could stand it at the same time. Slow-burn romance. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

A/N this story is AU. Remus and Tonks didn't die and Sirius was retrieved from the veil. It's also set in present time because I'm using some modern songs. Was originally going to be from Hermione's point of view but I changed to an OC. A bit of a fun fic I wanted to write instead of writing one for my friend (sorry JR).

(I took this story down because I wasn't overly happy with it and just edited some things in it, making it better).

Disclaimer – I sadly own none of the music or recognisable characters/settings in this story. Written purely for entertainment.

Enjoy – trainingfortheballetpotter

The Performer

 _ **Chapter One**_

I chased the little head of turquoise hair around the halls of number 12 Grimauld Place, slipping over as I rounded a corner. Stupid socks, betraying me once more. I scrambled to my feet and quickly caught up to the laughing boy. I scooped him into my arms and held him against me. He shrieked with laughter but didn't fight as I turned him to face me. He giggled lightly when I raised my eyebrows at him, a grin decorating my face.

"I caught you this time, Teddy," I laughed as I picked him up and placed him on my shoulders. He laughed once more and held onto my head with both hands. "But now it's time for me to return you to your parents."

"But, Willow!" He whined. I smiled lightly but continued down to the kitchen.

"No buts Teddy! I've played with you all day but I have to go to work soon." I told him, walking down a staircase. He let out a little 'humph' but started laughing again when I jumped from the last two steps to the ground floor. We were still laughing when I kicked open the kitchen door. Everyone in the room, many of which had drinks in hand, turned their heads to look at us. Remus and Tonks smiled when they saw us, both of them nursing butterbeers, and Teddy let loose another laugh.

"Hi Mummy! Hi Daddy!" He called out. I removed the toddler from my shoulders and placed him on the ground. Tonks and Remus stood up and made their way over. Tonks stooped down and scooped Teddy into her arms, blowing a raspberry on his cheek. Remus walked over and ruffled his hair and smiling fondly. He turned to me and pulled me under his arm, ruffling my hair the same way he did with Teddy's. I laughed and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Thanks for watching him today, Will. You're really good with kids," He said to me. I just shrugged, waving at Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny from across the room. "Maybe it's time you have one for yourself." He added coyly. I gave him a sharp jab in the ribs and pushed away from him.

"Don't even go there, Remus." I grinned, walking backwards away from him. I turned around and bumped into someone's chest. I tilted backwards and nearly fell but an arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back up. I looked up and saw the face of Sirius Black smiling down at me. Not expecting to his face anytime soon the only logical thing I could do was figuratively (kind of literally as well) tackle him in a hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he wrapped his other arm around my waist, pulling me off my feet and spinning me around. I laughed into his shoulder and he responded by laughing into my hair. He placed my feet back on the ground but I didn't let go of him for a few more seconds, even then it was only because Sirius had pushed me to arms-length. We both smiled at each other again and he pulled me in for another hug. I wrapped my arms around his back and smiled like an idiot into his chest. Sirius had been out of the country for months and I hadn't expected him to be back until Christmas.

"I didn't know you got back!" I laughed into his chest. I pulled back a little and he took the opportunity to tuck me under his arm and ruffle my hair like Remus had done before.

"It was a surprise," He chuckled. "And I can see you're surprised."

"Very. I'm very surprised, and happy." I told him. "Oh, God, I missed you!" I added squeezing his waist. He squeezed my shoulder back and planted a kiss on the top of my head.

"I missed you too, Kitten." He whispered into my hair. He picked up a butterbeer and took a big mouthful.

"Not hitting the hard stuff tonight?" I asked him.

"Not yet anyway," He laughed. I giggled a little, I hadn't heard his laugh or voice in so long, and I will admit it, I missed his laugh. "Want some?" He asked, tipping the bottle towards me. I held up my hand in decline and checked my watch. I sighed and shrugged off Sirius' arm.

"Look, as much as I'd love to stay and have a couple of drinks with you, I have to get to work." I told him.

"Come on, Kid, Remus, Tonks and I are going out for drinks later, it's a muggle pub, you'd like it. You should tag along." Sirius said taking another swig of his butter beer.

"As much as I'd love that, Sirius," I sighed. "I've got a job to go to. And I'm not a kid. I'm 22." I added.

"Whatever, you should come out with us anyway." He said, his tone turning slightly annoyed. I turned and walked back over towards Remus, Tonks and Teddy, with Sirius following closely.

"Sirius, how many times do I have to say it? I have work!" I told him exasperatedly once more.

"Come on, Will," He pleaded with me. I simply rolled my eyes and grinned a little. He really wanted me to go out with him, Remus and Tonks. I guess he missed me more than he let on.

I reached Tonks and plucked Teddy from her arms, stretching my arms out and spinning around with him in my hands. I pulled him into my side and blew a raspberry on his cheek as he shrieked with laughter. I handed him back to Tonks and I gave her a kiss on the cheek. I stepped over to Remus and pecked him on the cheek as well, I turned to face Sirius and I opened my mouth to speak but Remus cut me off.

"I still think you should have a kid of your own," He said from behind me. I turned and punched him in the shoulder and turned back to Sirius. He snorted and laughed along with Tonks and Remus.

"As I was saying," I said once they had stopped laughing. "I have a job to go to, so as much as I'd love to come out with you guys, I can't." I told him. I placed my hands on his shoulders, leant up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "OK, I really have to go." I said checking my watch again. "Bye, everyone!" I called as I walked out the kitchen door. I got several variations of 'bye, Willow' in response. Once I was in the hall, I heard footsteps behind me and looked over to see Sirius following me. I rolled my eyes and continued up to my room. I'd taken the room offer at Grimauld Place as soon as Harry asked after the war. When Sirius had returned from the veil last year, I had expected to be asked to leave but it never came. Actually, Sirius frequently sought out my company and we had become quite close.

"Where do you work anyway?" Sirius asked, following me up the stairs. "I don't think you've told me."

"That's because I didn't and I don't plan to, either." I replied over my shoulder.

"Why not?" He asked me. I could nearly feel the quirk of his eyebrow that went along with his question.

"Because it's none of your business," I replied simply.

We continued up the staircase in relative silence until I reached my room. I opened the door to my room and walked in, but when Sirius went to follow me in, I put a hand up to his chest. He looked at me, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"I'm getting changed, you can wait out there." I said to him, closing the door in his face. I pulled off my sweater and t-shirt and pulled on a flowy emerald green singlet top. I pulled off my socks and tights and pulled on my pair of well-worn leather pants, shoving my wand in the back pocket. I pulled on some socks and my ankle boots, leaving my curly brown hair out around my shoulders. I opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind me. I looked at Sirius, he was leaning against the wall with one arm crossed over his chest, casually sipping on his butter beer.

"You're going to get cold," He commented, surveying my outfit.

"My jacket's downstairs," I replied. He continued to stare at me, obviously annoyed that I wasn't going out for drinks with him. I sighed and placed my hands on his shoulders.

"Sirius, I know you just got back but I have to go to work. I'm sure you'll survive one night without me. I'll have drinks with you tomorrow. I promise," I told him. "Now can I please get to work?"

"I suppose so." He sighed. He pushed off the wall and I linked my arm with his and we walked down the stairs. I got to the front door and pulled on my light-blue denim jacket, black infinity scarf, grey beanie and red fingerless gloves. I put my wand in the inside pocket of my jacket and zipped it up. I looked at Sirius again and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Think about it this way," I reasoned. "You might end up going home with some girl from the pub, which is always a plus in my books." He considered this and smiled at me. I smiled in return, happy that I had cheered him up a little.

"That is true, Will." He smiled. "I always seem to forget you're bisexual." He added as an afterthought.

"A lot of people do," I grinned. "I gotta go, Siri, I'll see you soon." I said opening the front door. I stepped out and closed it behind me. I walked out onto the street, the chill biting at my cheeks, and made my way into London.

/XxXx/

I entered through the back door of the large pub dubbed 'The Dancing Pint' and made my way to the dressing rooms, the chatter and music from the actual pub echoing through the cold halls. When I entered the dressing rooms I was hit with more noise of girls and boys alike getting ready to perform. I went over to my mirror and pulled my gloves off.

"There you are, Willow!" I heard Cherry the pub manager call across the room. She stormed over to me and I knew I was about to get my ear chewed off. Cherry hates when people are late.

"Hey Cherry, look, I know I'm late, but I have a good excuse." I told her before she got really mad.

"It better be good." She ground out.

"OK, so I had to babysit for my friends and I left it a little late to get him back to his parents, and then when I found them, they were having a few drinks because my other friend just got back from overseas. I got a bit distracted because I hadn't seen him in nearly a year and he wanted me to go out and have some drinks with him. I explained to him that I had to get to work but he really didn't want me to go, so when I finally did get out, I was running late. But, I'm here now!" I explained in hurry. I figured out a while ago that if you give excuses quickly to Cherry it leaves little room for argument and she lets you off.

"Well, you are here now. So, get ready! Chop, Chop!" She cried, rushing back up to the pub. I sighed and pulled off my beanie, scarf and jacket. I went to the wardrobe and found the costume for my first performance for tonight. We all did individual performances, sometimes in groups, but usually by ourselves. Of course, with the exception of the end of year performance. Anyway, I kicked off my boots and peeled my socks off, kicking them beneath the bench. I undid my trousers and pulled them off, tossing them on the bench. I opened the costume bag and pulled it out. High-waisted leather hot shorts, thigh high boots, a small leather boob tube, and a black fedora. I grabbed the hot shorts and pulled them on, pulling my shirt off as well. I pulled the boob tube on and adjusted it, ensuring it wouldn't slip. I folded my clothes and placed them under the bench with my shoes along with my scarf, hat and gloves. I sat down and attached my microphone, tucking it in to my shorts. Once satisfied it wasn't falling out, I started applying my makeup. It was basic makeup until I got to my eyes. I applied eyeliner, giving it a sharp wing, and gave myself a smoky eye that made my gold eyes pop. I painted my lips a bright red glossy colour and added mascara to my long lashes. I brushed my mess of brown curls, trying to tame it slightly. I checked the clock on the wall, realizing I had 10 minutes until my turn to perform and grabbed my boots. Tucked inside were a pair of stockings that came up to my knees. I pulled them on and pulled on my boots as well, zipping them right up. I stood up, significantly taller than before thanks to the heel. My pre-painted nails matched my outfit considerably well. Black. That's what this outfit was. Black on black on black. Not that I minded, it was quite nice.

Cherry came down a few minutes later and told me I was up. I grabbed my hat and made my way backstage. My hat was sitting snugly on my head when I reached the audio station. I saw the curtain was down and waiting for me. They turned my mic on and I grabbed the wooden chair that was waiting for me. I walked to the middle of the stage, the chatter from the pub drowning out my footsteps. I placed the chair down so it was facing the front and sat on it backwards. I looked over to the audio station and gave Cherry the thumbs up. She walked out to the middle of the stage with a hand-held microphone and ducked under the curtain. I heard her voice projected throughout the pub and I grinned, anticipating what was to come.

"Settle down, settle down you lot!" she laughed, and the pub did just that; quietened down. "I've got your first performer of the night here. She's a crowd favourite and needs no introduction. You lot know who she is!" A collective cheer went up from the crowd and I grinned once again. "Well, I'll let her do what she's good at." Cherry ducked under the curtain again and an applause erupted from the pub. She turned her mic off and handed it back. She gave me a thumbs up and I got into position, my arms slung across the back of the chair, my back straight. The lights dimmed slightly in the pub, and the curtain rose. I prepared myself to sing and the music began.

 _It's a cold and crazy world that's ragin' outside  
Well baby me and all my girls are bringin' on the fire  
Show a little leg, gotta shimmy your chest  
It's a life, it's a style, it's a need, it's Burlesque._

I ran my fingers along the brim of my hat, pulling it low over my eyes and spun in my chair. I crossed my legs, leaned forward and began clicking my fingers along to the beat.

 _E-X-P-R-E-S-S, love, sex  
Ladies no regrets._

I stood and began walking to the edge of the stage.

 _E-X-P-R-E-S-S, love, sex  
Ladies no regrets._

I whipped my hat off and through it into the crowd, where a man at a table in the middle of the bar caught it and put it on his head. I turned and started walking back to the chair.

 _Been holdin' back for quite some time and finally the moment's right  
I love to make the people stare  
They know I got that certain savoir-faire._

I grabbed the back of the chair, spun it around and sat on it backwards.

 _Fasten up  
Can you imagine what would happen if I let you close enough to touch?  
Step into the fantasy  
You'll never want to leave, baby it's guaranteed  
Why?_

I stood and danced around the chair using it to help me.

 _It's a passion, and emotion, it's a fashion, burlesque  
It'll move you, goin' through you, so do what I do, burlesque  
All ladies come put your gown up, boys throw it up if you want it  
Can you feel me, can you feel it? It's burlesque._

I stepped up onto the chair and placed when hand on my hip, the other making its way to my hair

 _I tease 'em 'til they're on the edge  
They scream n' moan for more and then they beg._

I put one foot on the back of the chair.

 _I know it's me they come to see  
My pleasure brings them to their knees._

I pushed on the back of the chair so it tipped and I slid along the stage on my knees.

 _Fasten up  
Can you imagine what would happen if I let you close enough to touch?  
Step into the fantasy  
You'll never want to leave, baby it's guaranteed  
Why?_

I sat on the edge of the stage and crossed my legs.

 _It's a passion, and emotion, it's a fashion, burlesque  
It'll move you, goin' through you, so do what I do, burlesque._

I uncrossed my legs and pushed myself into the pub, weaving throughout the tables.

 _All ladies, come put your gown up  
Boys throw it up if you want it  
Can you feel me, can you feel it? It's burlesque._

I'd nearly made it to the man with the hat but I danced around a few tables until I got behind him.

 _It's a passion, and emotion, it's a fashion, burlesque._

I ran my hands along his shoulders and down his arms.

 _It'll move you, goin' through you, so do what I do, burlesque._

I turned so my back was against his and lowered myself slightly and came back up.

 _All ladies come put your gown up, boys throw it up if you want it  
Can you feel me, can you feel it? It's burlesque._

I grabbed the front of the hat and rolled of his head onto mine. I gripped the brim as I stepped next to the man. I got a good look at his face and realised at once who it was. Sirius. I looked at the two other people at the table whom I hadn't paid attention to. Remus and Tonks. _Shit_. Shit, shitty, _shit!_ I forced it down any embarrassment I had and moved towards the stage. I hopped back up and spun the chair a couple of times. It's back was once again facing the front and I sat on it backwards, sitting in the same position I started in.

 _Burlesque._

The music cut and the curtain went down. The entire pub erupted into applause with various whistles thrown in. I got off the chair and took it with me off stage and the fellas at the audio station turned my mic off. I left the stage and ran into Cherry on the way downstairs.

"One of my favourites so far." I whispered to her, referring to the outfit

"Keep that one in the wardrobe," she replied. "You'll need it later."

I nodded my head and smiled, continuing down the hall, my heels clicking against the concrete. I slipped into the dressing room and made my way to my mirror. I sat down and put my head on the bench, groaning. How? How did they figure it out? Did Sirius follow me? No. I would've noticed. So, it was purely by chance. Of course. They said they were going to a muggle pub. Of fucking course it was _my_ muggle pub. I lifted my head up and looked over at the wardrobe. One more performance and I was done for the night. I stood and grabbed my second and last costume bag for the night.

/XxXx/

I stood backstage once more getting my mic turned on and tucked into the waist band of my shorts. I adjusted the large belt around my waist and fluffed my hair up. I had on black high-waisted shorts and an orange tank top tucked into them. I had to perform in front of Sirius, Tonks, and Remus for the second time tonight. I was still going to put on a fantastic performance, though. I'd just force down any thoughts and pretend they weren't there. Let's do this shit. I was signalled to go on and I was standing centre stage when the curtain came up. The music started and I started singing.

 _Could dress up  
To get love  
But guess what?  
I'm never gonna be that girl  
Who's living in a Barbie world_

 _Could wake up  
And make up  
And play dumb  
Pretending that I need a boy  
Who's gonna treat me like a toy_

 _I know the other girlies wanna wear expensive things  
Like diamond rings  
But I don't wanna be the puppet that you're playing on a string  
This queen don't need a king_

 _Oh, I don't know what you've been told  
But this gal right here's gonna rule the world  
Yeah, that is where I'm gonna be because I wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty  
You get off on your nine to five  
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives  
But no, I'm never gonna be 'cause I don't wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still look pretty._

I stepped of the stage and weaved my way through the crowd dancing.

 _Mister Right could be nice for one night  
But then he wanna take control  
And I would rather fly solo_

 _Then Snow White  
She did it right  
In her life  
Had seven men to do the chores  
'Cause that's not what a lady's for_

 _The only thing a boy's gonna give a girl for free's captivity  
And I might love me some vanilla but I'm not that sugar sweet  
Call me HBIC_

 _Oh, I don't know what you've been told  
But this gal right here's gonna rule the world  
Yeah, that is where I'm gonna be, because I wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty  
You get off on your nine to five  
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives  
But no, I'm never gonna be, 'cause I don't wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still look pretty_

 _Sure, I'm a pretty girl  
Up in a pretty world  
But they say pretty hurts  
And I don't wanna sit still  
I'm a pretty girl  
Up in a pretty world  
But no, I won't sit still, look pretty_

 _Sure, I'm a pretty girl  
Up in a pretty world  
But they say pretty hurts  
And I don't wanna sit still  
I'm a pretty girl  
Up in a pretty world  
But no, I won't sit still, look pretty_

 _Oh, I don't know what you've been told  
But this gal right here's gonna rule the world  
Yeah, that is where I'm gonna be because I wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty  
You get off on your nine to five  
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives  
But no, I'm never gonna be 'cause I don't wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still look pretty_

 _Oh, I don't know what you've been told  
But this gal right here's gonna rule the world  
Yeah, that is where I'm gonna be because I wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty  
You get off on your nine to five  
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives  
But no, I'm never gonna be 'cause I don't wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty_

 _Sit still, look pretty  
Sit still, look pretty  
Sit still, look pretty  
Sit still, look pretty_

Whilst I was dancing, I stopped by every table, including Sirius' table. As much as it pained me, I schooled my expressions and stomached it. As I walked off stage, I stopped at the audio station once again and they removed my mic for me. I made my way back to the dressing room and got changed back into my own clothes. I hung both outfits back in the wardrobe, wondering what songs I would be performing with the leather outfit. I wiped my makeup off and pulled my jacket on, leaving out the back and going back into the pub. I walked over to Sirius, Remus and Tonks and sat down at their table.

"Well, Miss Devlen, that was quite a performance." Remus grinned, putting on his professor voice.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped in a hushed tone. Tonks' lips twitched as she did her best to hold back her amusement. Remus' lips were mimicking those of his wife's. I snapped my eyes away from the couple and onto Sirius. He was staring at me with an odd look on his face and I raised my eyebrows at him. "Well?" I asked him.

"We heard it was good here so we thought we'd check it out." He shrugged. "We weren't disappointed, Remus was right. That was quite a performance." I groaned and put my head on the table. I hit my head against the wood a couple of times and raised my eyes to look at them, glaring at Tonks and Remus as they sniggered behind their hands. Sirius was grinning, doing a damn fantastic job of not laughing along with them.

"Right, we're leaving," I announced standing up. "Get up you lot."

"But I like it here," Sirius complained. He pouted at me and gave me his best puppy dog eyes.

"Sirius Black, I will drag you out by your ears," I whispered harshly in his ear. "Now move."

He put his hands up in surrender, downed the last of his drink and dropped some money on the table. All three of them stood and made their way outside. When I stepped outside, I pulled my hat on my head, wrapped my scarf around my neck, and pulled my gloves on as well. Sirius, Tonks and Remus were all doing similar things. We grouped together and made our way down the street. We walked a couple of blocks in relative silence until Sirius thought it was a good idea to cut the tension.

"You know," He said to me. "That first performance was quite enjoyable. Especially the bit with the hat." I elbowed him in the ribs and shoved my hands into my pockets.

"Yeah, I think Sirius really enjoyed that bit." Tonks piped up, laughing when I scowled. Remus and Sirius joined in on the laughter and I crossed my arms across my chest and deepened my scowl. Just then my scowl was replaced by a huge smile when I saw the person guaranteed to light up my day. Casey. She was leaning against a building, seemingly waiting for someone. I ran up to her calling her name and hugged her tightly, any annoyance I was feeling from before melting away.

"Willow!" She exclaimed. She had a slightly panicked look but I ignored it, I was way too happy to see her. "I thought you had work?" She asked quickly, looking around.

"I did, I just got off. We were thinking about getting some drinks." I said indicating to Tonks, Remus and Sirius who were standing a few metres away.

"Well-" She started, but she was cut off by a girl coming up wrapping her arm around her waist and kissing her on the lips. "Summer, hi." Casey said wrapping her arm around this other girl. I stepped back as if I were slapped and my breathing sped up slightly. What was happening? No. No, no, no, no, no.

"Willow, I'm sorry," Casey said quietly. She looked ashamed.

"How long?" I whispered. It hurt so much and I could feel tears burn the backs of my eyes but I refused to let them fall. Casey was my girlfriend. If she was cheating on me and would've only ever have been for a few weeks at most. She had seemed distant lately, but why didn't she tell me. I thought she had loved me, so when her response came it hit me like a truck.

"4 months," She replied quietly. 4 months? My girlfriend has been cheating on me for 4 months? "I'm sorry, Willow," She said once more before turning and walking away from me, her arm still around Summer. I stood there on the foot path watching them walk away, and a tear slid down my cheek. I screwed my eyes shut and pursed my lips as a few more tears seeped out. Someone placed a large hand on my shoulder and I looked up into Sirius' grey eyes, tears blurring my vision. He wrapped his arms around me and I buried my face into his chest.

"Are you OK?" He asked me softly.

"I need a drink," I managed to croak out, my voice muffled by his shirt.

A/N OK, first chapter done and dusted. I am working on another story but it's moving along very slowly. This one sorta came to me and I was up till like 5 in the morning writing it. So next chapter will be up soon, so keep an eye out. And I'll try get this other story done (I'm so sorry JR!) Toss in a review if you liked it.

See ya soon - trainingfortheballetpotter


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Chapter 2 here we go! Still haven't worked on my other story (oops) but oh well. I've had a lot of ideas come to me about where I'm going with this, hopefully we'll have a fairly reasonable story.

Disclaimer – Any recognisable characters/ settings are all the works of J.K Rowling. I don't own any of the music used either. Any resemblance to real life is purely coincidental.

Enjoy – trainingfortheballetpotter

The Performer

 _ **Chapter Two**_

Sirius gently rubbed his hand up and down my back as we walked along the street heading towards my favourite muggle bar. I stopped when we reached the front of 'The Two Bar-Men' and Sirius held the door open for Remus, Tonks and I. As I stepped inside, I was immediately called out to by the bartender. I looked up and saw Jake pouring a pint. I grinned at him and picked my way through the tables and various patrons, mostly burly bikers and middle-aged men, up to the bar. He passed the drink off to an older man and leaned across the bar to kiss me on the cheek.

"Good to see you again, chicky," He grinned at me.

"You too, Jake." I replied weakly. He frowned slightly at my response but brightened up quickly when Tonks, Remus and Sirius joined me at the bar.

"Long time no see, Sirius," Jake proclaimed brightly.

"Right back at you, Jakey boy," Sirius smiled, clapping his hand with Jake's in a rough handshake.

"Remember me, Jake?" Tonks asked with a cheeky grin.

"Do I remember you?" Jake scoffed, leaning over the counter to ruffle Tonks' short hair. "Of course, I remember the infamous Tonks." Even though Jake owns a muggle pub, he was once a student at Hogwarts. Just a year below Tonks. He'd told me many stories about her pranks when I was staying with him way back when.

"I haven't seen you for years, Remus," He grinned shaking Remus' hand. "You should stop by some time."

"I'll do my best, Jake," Remus laughed. Despite how shit I was feeling, the interaction put a small smile on my face.

"Hey, Jake, do you think you could watch our jackets and stuff?" I asked him, pulling my hat off.

"Sure can, Hun." He smiled in response. We passed our jackets, gloves, hats and scarfs over and Jake stashed them beneath the bar.

"So, what can I get you four tonight?" He asked us brightly. Sirius opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off before he could.

"Four pints of beer and a bottle of scotch. You know which scotch." I told Jake. He raised his eyebrows at the request, but set about poring four pints of beer. "Just put it on my tab," I added as an afterthought, but as soon as the words left my mouth, Sirius, Remus and Tonks all spoke up.

"No." They all said at the same time.

"Guys," my head dropped as I sighed my response, but before I could go any further Remus cut me off.

"Nope, you're not paying." He said defiantly. I glanced up at him and he met my gaze with a look of stubbornness. I know the look because I have that exact same look sometimes. Now I know where I got it from.

"Fine, whatever." I responded with a sigh. Jake handed each of us a pint and passed me the bottle of scotch. It was the strongest he stocked. My favourite. He went to pass the glasses to Tonks but Sirius intercepted them.

"As much as I love you, Tonks, I don't trust you to carry the glasses to the table with dropping them. I don't know how you've raised Teddy for so long without dropping him." Sirius said to her. My mouth twitched and I snuck a glance at Remus. He glared at me in response, clearly telling me to shut up about the time he _nearly_ dropped Teddy. I kept my mouth shut and we made our way to a table in the corner. I sat down and took a large mouthful of my beer, getting foam on my upper lip. I wiped it off and found Remus staring at me.

"Look, Remy," I sighed. I seemed to be doing a lot of that tonight. "I know what you're going to say and, no, I don't want to talk about it. I just want to get hammered and forget about it." He nodded in understanding and took a sip of his beer. We sat in silence for a moment as we all sipped on our respective beers. I took another large mouthful and looked over at Sirius as I swallowed.

"So, Sirius," I began, trying to dispose of the awkward silence. "How was Australia?"

A huge grin lit up his face as he responded. "Fantastic. It was bloody fantastic. Really hot, but that was to be expected." Sirius had us all grinning as he recalled his adventures in the land down under. As he continued on, I zoned out and laughed at the respective times along with Remus and Tonks. Everyone could sort of tell I wasn't really listening but they all pretended not to notice. As my thoughts drifted back to Casey, I shook my head and downed the rest of my beer. I placed the pint back on the table reaching around it for the bottle of scotch and a glass. I cracked the top on the bottle and poured the dark amber – near brown – liquid into my glass, filling it up about halfway. I sat the bottle back on the table and downed the contents of my glass in one gulp, relishing in the familiar burning sensation in my throat as I swallowed it. I filled my glass again and screwed the cap back on the bottle, sliding it across the table to join the glasses, and took a sip of my drink.

"You know, Willow," Sirius said, catching my attention. "You could probably drink some of those Australians under the table. And let me tell you, they drink _hard_." I raised my eyebrows at him and he grinned in response.

"Yes, well, I learnt to hold my liquor at a young age." I told him gulping down the last of my scotch to prove my point. I filled my glass again and slid the bottle over to Sirius who had just finished his beer. He filled his own glass and held it up to me. I clinked my glass to his and he winked at me as we both swallowed the liquid in our glasses. Sirius made a face at the taste of the drink and I snorted as I filled all four glasses sliding two over to Remus and Tonks.

"Fuck. That shit's stronger than I expected." Sirius coughed. I grinned and took a sip of my own drink.

"Too strong for you, Sirius?" Tonks asked, a playful grin on her lips as she took a sip from her glass. Her eyebrows rose when it hit her tongue. She swallowed and let out a small cough. "Shit…"

I grinned, casting my eyes to Remus as I took a sip. My eyes met his and I raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him. He maintained eye contact as he took a mouthful from his glass. He quirked his eyebrow at me and swallowed, letting out breath.

"Strong." He muttered, his voice sounding strained. I barked out a laugh and brought the glass up to my lips once more, swallowing the last of the alcohol. A pleasant warm feeling began to spread throughout me. Other than that, the alcohol wasn't affecting me at all, it usually didn't for a little while. I poured myself another glass and took a sip.

"Merlin's beard kid, save some for us." Sirius laughed pouring himself another glass.

"Shit, sorry, I'm used to drinking alone." I apologised eyeing the half empty bottle of scotch.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Sirius chuckled. "I'm just messing with you; I drink just as hard as you do." He paused, watching me take another mouthful for the whiskey. "Maybe not as fast." He mumbled under his breath.

I jabbed his arm with my elbow and grinned as I drunk from my glass. I looked up when Tonks and Remus sat their glasses on the table. I raised an eyebrow at them as Tonks leaned back in her chair, her bubble-gum pink hair falling in her eyes.

"Well, we're going to turn in," Remus announced, digging in his pocket for his wallet.

"Come on, Moony, the night's still young," Sirius complained.

"The night may still be young but we have a kid at home," Tonks sighed. It seemed they didn't really want to go, but they did have a kid at home. Sirius will no doubt stick around and get pissed with me. Teddy has spent the whole day with me and he needs his parents for a little while before he goes to bed.

"Teddy hasn't seen you guys much today," I said softly. "Go see your kid."

"But– "

"No buts, Sirius," I scolded. "Besides, I'm sticking around, aren't I?"

"I suppose so," Sirius sighed.

"Now get your sorry asses out of here." I grinned at them.

Remus ruffled my hair, chuckling softly. "Try not to get too drunk, will you?"

"We both know that's not going to happen," I looked over at Sirius. "Now, how about we take this up to the bar?"

"Fantastic plan," Sirius grinned in response.

I stood, knocking back the last dregs of my drink and grasped the bottle of scotch by the neck. Everyone grabbing their glasses we made our way up to the bar and sat them on the counter. Jake handed Tonks and Remus their hats and coats and washed the glasses out. Remus payed for the round of drinks and shook Jake's hand.

"Come back again soon, eh mate?" Jake asked politely.

"No doubt, no doubt." Remus grinned. He pulled me under his arm and kissed my forehead, grabbing my hand and spinning me into Sirius. Sirius rested one hand on my waist and I leaned back into him.

"Have fun you two," Tonks smiled, winking at us as she grabbed her husband's hand.

I raised my hand in goodbye as the left the bar. I watched them walk until they were out of sight. I turned in Sirius' arms so I was facing him and sat my forehead in his chest. I heaved a sigh and breathed in his scent. He smelt very… Sirius. Like leather and coffee, like firewhiskey and cigarettes, like wood smoke. Under all of these calm, relaxing smells though lied a hint of wet dog. Always there, always pissing me the fuck off. But, despite how much I hated it, it still relaxed me. Sirius wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. I wrapped my arms his back and squeezed. He squeezed me back and I looked up at him, resting my chin on his chest. He planted a soft kiss on my forehead and ran one hand through my curls. I let my eyes close and relaxed as he rubbed my scalp softly. He tucked a stray curl behind my ear and my eyes opened to look at him. I sighed again, feeling more relaxed than I had in a little while.

"Alright pretty boy," I sighed pushing out of Sirius' arms. "let's get another drink."

"Or maybe finish the bottle of scotch?" Sirius responded as I stood next to him at the bar. I eyed the half empty bottle of scotch and reached for it. I filled two glasses that Jake and placed with the bottle up and passed one to Sirius. I held my glass up to him in a toast.

"To you," I said with a grin.

"To new beginnings," He smiled in response, clinking his glass with mine. We both downed the liquid in one go, Sirius cringing slightly at the taste. He filled both our glasses again and we drank. And we drank. We drank until there were only dregs left in the bottle. Sirius and I chatted easily as we leant against the bar. I laughed as my eyes scanned the room. This bar was home to an assortment of characters. Bearded biker men with tattoos and beefy arms, attractive guys and girls in jeans and t-shirts, sleazy girls in tight clothes with caked on makeup, sad looking middle-aged men in rumpled suits, and lastly, the drunk men. The men who often get thrown out. The mean who prey on 19-year-old girls. The men who don't know when to stop. The men who I will not being talking to tonight.

I cast my eyes to the back of the bar where there was a small crowd gathered. There was always a small crowd gathered over there. A collective groan went up from the crowd and I saw some people pass money over to each other. The mechanical bull. The centre piece of this damned pub. No one had beat the record time since it was set 8 years ago. I was here when it was set. Admittedly I shouldn't have been in the actual pub since I was only 14 at the time, but Jake had taken me in. I watched as the record was set, 5 minutes and 24 seconds. I, and countless others, had tried for years to break the damn thing, but the closest I had got was 4 minutes and 17 seconds. Anyone who broke the record got two hundred quid and a free beer, but no one had managed to do it. But I had a good feeling about tonight. I had the right amount of confidence and the right amount of recklessness for me to pull this off. I turned around and slammed my hand on the bar, capturing both Jake's and Sirius' attention.

"Jake, tonight's the night." I proclaimed loudly.

"Trying to beat the record again, Will?" Jake replied with a playful smile.

"You bet your ass," I grinned. "no better time than now, you know, before I get too drunk." Jake laughed and made his way out behind the bar. I looked behind me and grabbed Sirius' wrist, pulling him along behind me as I strutted through the tables, past the pool table, past the dart board, and into the small crowd. Jake spoke softly to the employee who was running the bull and hopped into the seat when he stepped off. I dropped Sirius' wrist and looked up at him. He raised a questioning eyebrow at me, I merely offered him a mischievous grin.

"Oi, you lot," Jake shouted, collecting people's attention. "We've got a new contestant! Well, she's done this before but she's new tonight." Cheers sounded from the crowd. "Step up to the plate, Will,"

I grinned up at him and mock saluted him. I took a step forward but Sirius grabbed my wrist to stop me. I looked up at him with my head cocked. "What?"

"You're bloody insane. You know that, right?" He laughed incredulously.

"Oh, you betcha, Hun," I smiled. "Now give me a smile,"

He laughed softly and shook his head at me. "I'll take it." I laughed.

I stepped into the padded ring and closed the gate behind me as a few encouraging cheers went up from the crowd. I pulled myself up onto the bull in one fluid motion, adjusting myself and gripping the handholds. I grinned slightly when I saw Sirius making a bet with two older men out of the corner of my eye. I turned my attention to Jake who was getting ready to start up.

"Ready?" He asked me. I tightened my grip and held on as tight as I could. I nodded to him and a grinned as he flicked a switch. The bull started to buck around, but I held on easy enough, ignoring the whistles and faces that blurred past. The bull spun around and I nearly lost my grip, but I wasn't ending it that easily. For what felt like hours I was bucked around on the bull, barely holding on at some points. Merlin's saggy left nut, how long had I been on this?

"Time, Jake!" I called to him.

"4 minutes 39 seconds!" He called back. I let out a whoop, I'd broken my personal record! Come on not that much longer. Suddenly the bull lurched forward and one of my legs slipped. I slid forward and frantically scrambled to get my leg back in place. I cursed loudly as the bull swung around and I slid backwards. My eyes landed on Jake and saw he was pissing himself laughing. Of course. The asshole amped the speed up. Well, I could use a bit of a challenge.

"You've bloody done it, Will!" Jake laughed at me. "You've broken the bloody record!" I flung one arm into the air whooped. I crazed laugh poured from my lips as cheers erupted around me. I held on for a surprising amount of time with one arm, until the bull lurched forward. I scrambled for a hand hold as I slid forward and just managed to grab one as the bull lurched backwards. Both my hands slipped as it spun around, flinging me off into the padded ring. All of my breath was sucked out of me as I slammed into the wall. I groaned softly as I rolled onto my back, panting as I looked up at the roof above me. Cheers and laughs echoed throughout the pub. I heaved myself into a sitting position and let my eyes wander the crowd for a brief second before I hauled myself to my feet. As I stood, I saw Sirius collecting money and shaking the hands of the two men he made a bet with. I smiled to myself and swung over the wall. When I landed on the other side, I had several hands clap me on the back and one guy grab my arm yelling 'congratulations' in my face. I cringed lightly as his stale breath invaded my nostrils and shrugged him off. I squeezed my way out of the mass of bodies and saw Jake jumping from his seat and turning around to face me. He was grinning like an idiot and opened his arms to me. I smiled and ran into his arms, laughing as they wrapped around me. He spun us around and I was smiling so hard my face felt like it was splitting in half. When my feet returned to the ground both Jake and I were breathless.

"It took you bloody long enough," he yelled over the drone of voices. "Fantastic work Willy Wanker!" I smacked him half-heartedly in the chest when he used the dreaded nickname. His hands cupped the side of my face and squeezed lightly before he let me go. Suddenly there was a different arm looped around my neck, as Sirius rubbed his knuckles across scalp, giving me a noogie. I poked him hard in the ribs and he released me, my already curly hair, messed up even further.

"You bloody did it, you beat the record and scored me some extra coin," Sirius laughed. I shoved his shoulder with mine as we started walking towards the bar to claim my prize. But he couldn't just leave it with a shove, could he. So, he shoved me back. Then I shoved him back. And back and forth, and back and forth, until we were leaning against the bar, laughing our heads off. I loved times like this. Where me and my friends could just laugh. And then I had a flashback. Back to times with Casey.

We were leaning against the counter in her kitchen, doubled over in hysterical laughter, though I have no clue what we had been laughing at. We'd both stood up, hoping to control our laughs, but when we looked at each other but burst into renewed chuckles again. Her black choppy bangs were hanging in her eyes. I remember her eyes where the first thing that caught my attention; beautiful brown framed with long lashes. Brown met gold, smile met smile, her palm gently met my cheek, and lips met lips. The sweetest kiss you could possibly imagine. The best day. But that sweet memory was currently tainted with betrayal. The sight of that messy black ponytail and sleek, blonde, hair getting further away from me, walking arm in arm, broke my heart. I'd given her everything, but in the end it hadn't been enough. I hadn't been enough…

"Hey, earth to Will," Sirius said softly, pulling me from my stupor. His grey eyes met mine, and instantly any self-doubt seemed to pour out of me. Sirius could always do that to me. With just a look, he was always able to read my thoughts and adjust his features in a way that relaxed me and brought my confidence to the surface. "You okay?"

"Perfect."

"Good because I was about to pocket your money," A cheeky smile spread across his attractive features, as his steely grey eyes sparkled with amusement. I threw a soft smile back at him and looked at the bar, where there were two fresh pints of beer and four notes of muggle money. At least he didn't write me a check. I pocketed the bills and took a sip of my beer. A casual conversation sparked up between Sirius and I, laced with the same ease it had last year, and all those years before he slipped into the veil. To this day, bringing him back from the veil is still my biggest achievement. Nearly a years-worth of research and tests went into a spell that might not have worked. I risked my life and spent two weeks in St Mungo's afterwards. When I'd finally got him back, we grew closer – became thick as thieves. And then he went away. He wanted to travel, to take advantage of his new-found freedom after being cleared of all charges. And now he's finally home. And I don't think I could afford to lose him again. I glanced up at him as he was pulling his shoulder length black hair into a bun, and smiled softly. He saw me looking at him, and grinned at me. His arm wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me into his side. We both took sips of our beers and continued the conversation as if we didn't have a care in the world.

/XxXx/

Several drinks later, I found myself standing in front the dart board with Sirius' hand spread across it. I held the dart with my right hand as I adjusted my stance slightly.

"If you hit me, I'm gonna kill you," Sirius said to me.

"Good thing I'm not going to hit you then, isn't it?" I said back to him. Okay, so, admittedly, all the alcohol I'd been drinking was starting to affect me a little. I was really over-confident and so was Sirius, we made a great pair. So, how about we focus on getting this dart in the bull's eye and not into Sirius' hand. I held the dart out in front of me, closing one eye to judge if it should make it. Hopefully it would. I was normally quite a good shot, but I was seriously hoping I wouldn't hit Sirius. I held my left hand out in front of me slightly and held the dart up near my face. I closed one eye, mock threw it a few times, let out a breath, and threw.

Time seemed to slow down slightly, for me at least, as the dart sailed through the air and imbedded itself in the red dot between Sirius' fingers. Sirius opened his eyes, which he'd squeezed shut, and let out a relieved bark of laughter.

"You insane bastard, you did it again!" He exclaimed, staring at the dart board, where his hand still firmly sat.

"And you had the audacity to doubt me," I said smugly. Sirius sent me a playful glare and picked me up around my waist, spinning us both around. I cackled with laughter and held onto Sirius until my feet returned to the ground. Both of us still chuckling we made our way back towards the bar, Sirius' arm slung across my shoulders while mine was around his waist.

"You know, you two are going to kill each other one day," Jake said as he was making drinks for a very clearly underage girl and her friend.

"Oh, yeah, probably," I laughed. He passed the drinks of to the girls and I watched them walk away. I turned back to Jake with my eyebrows raised.

"You do realise those two are, like, fifteen, right?" I asked. He nodded setting to work on making some sort of margarita or something.

"I've always been a little lenient when it comes to underage drinkers," he said to me. "As long as the don't abuse the privilege then I'll let them stay. It worked for you didn't it?" He glanced up at me knowingly and I grinned cheekily at him. Jake had let me in the bar four nights in a row before he figured out that I was living on the streets. He took me in. He gave me a bed, fresh food, safety. He let me work in the bar. Of all the things he did for me, being my friend was the best thing he could do. He probably shaped me into who I am today. I pushed myself forward on the bar and kissed his cheek. He grinned back at me and slid down so I was standing again, but the second my feet hit the floor I stumbled. I threw one leg out to try and catch my balance (unsuccessfully) and fell into Sirius. He grabbed my elbows to stop me from falling over (successfully this time). I looked up at him and we both burst into laughter. He slung his arm across my shoulders and we both leaned against the bar laughing.

I looked up when I heard Jake murmur "idiots" under his breath, a small grin stretching across his face. My laughter slowly died down to quiet chuckles as I leaned into Sirius' shoulder, letting myself relax. My brain felt sluggish and foggy around the edges. The mass amounts of alcohol I had consumed was starting to catch up with me, and I knew if I stopped moving, I'd fall asleep. I pulled away from Sirius and turned around. I looked around the bar and my eyes landed on the pool table.

I watched as a man racked up and called out "any players?". A crooked grin peaked on my mouth as I elbowed Sirius in the ribs. He looked down at me and I nodded my head in the direction of the pool table. He glanced at it over his shoulder and looked back at me grinning. The night was about to get a little more interesting. It was hustle time.

/XxXx/

"Willow, what in the hell are you doing!"

I looked up at Sirius with fake confusion as I leaned against my pool cue. I'd just lost the past two games I'd played with this lovely gentleman. It was on purpose of course, but he didn't know that. He just thought I was really drunk and really bad at pool. It was quite the opposite though; I was only a little drunk and really _good_ at pool. Sirius had showed up at the perfect time. Just in time to make my act really convincing.

"Well obviously I'm playing pool," I slurred slightly. I saw his eyes twinkle at the thought of the money that would soon be coming our way. Behind him I saw Jake shake his head behind the bar, chuckling to himself.

"No, you're losing at pool." Sirius' serious look nearly made me break character, but I bit the inside of my cheek and regained composure. "You're done."

"Ha ha, no I'm not," I scoffed. I turned to the man I was playing with. "Double or nothing." I said to him. He had already gained a hundred pounds off of me. If I doubled it, the winner would get four hundred pounds. I say the winner but I mean: _I_ would be getting four hundred pounds. The man raised his eyebrows as I slammed another hundred onto the wad of cash at the edge of the table. He chuckled softly and dropped a hundred onto the pile.

"Willow!" Sirius exclaimed. "Sir, she's really drunk and doesn't know what she's doing." He tried to explain.

The man shrugged his shoulders. "It's her money mate. She's an adult and can make her own mistakes. Your break sweetheart." He said to me, racking up again.

I saw Sirius run his hands through his hair. I stumbled to the end of the table and "drunkenly" lined my cue up with the white ball. Suddenly I shed away my drunken façade and hit the white ball with expert precision. Four balls went down the pockets; three red, one yellow. I looked up at Sirius briefly and saw a proud grin on his face. I made my way around the table shooting red balls into pockets on every hit, not letting my competitor get a shot in. I lined my shot up with the black eight-ball and looked up at the slack-jawed man across the table from me. He caught my eye and I winked at him and took my shot, sending the eight-ball rolling into the pocket across from me. I stood up straight and walked around the table, picking up the pile of money on the way. I stepped in front of the still shocked man and held my hand out to him. He took it distractedly and shook it.

"Well played mate," I smiled, clapping him on the shoulder as I walked over to Sirius. I slung his arm over my shoulders and pressed his face into my hair trying to hide his smile.

"Well done kid,' he whispered to me. I chuckled a little and shoved him off me. We leaned against the bar as Jake poured us both a glass of scotch.

We clinked our glasses as a woman came up to the bar a metre or so away from us and ordered a swan and coke. I took in her appearance as Jake made her drink; ACDC t-shirt tucked into faded black high-waisted jeans, black wavy bob-cut with the front pulled out of her face, bright blue eyes, full-lips, and a cigarette tucked behind her ear. Very attractive. Exactly a certain-someone's type. As I watched her, I saw her studying Sirius out of the corner of her eye. She opened her mouth slightly and grabbed a peanut from the bar and put it in her mouth, strategically tucking her hair behind one ear as she chewed. Good move. And, by the looks of it, it had the desired effect: Sirius was studying her. Jake passed her the drink and she walked away to the juke-box, her hips swaying ever-so-slightly. I watched in amusement as Sirius' gaze followed across the room until he was watching her over his shoulder. I smiled and elbowed him in the ribs. He looked over at me with one eyebrow raised. I cocked my head towards her, signalling for him to follow. He hesitantly ran his teeth along his bottom lip and I rolled my eyes.

"If you don't make a move on her, I will," I stated. It was a complete lie, but it worked. He inclined his head at me, raising his drink slightly and turned from the bar, walking over to the juke-box. I watched in amusement as he leaned against the wall next to the girl and turned on the charm. I shook my head laughing to myself, and turned back to Jake, taking a mouthful of my drink. I closed my eyes for a moment just to let my brain rest when I heard a voice beside me.

"You know, a young lady such as yourself should leave the hard liquor to the men." I slowly opened my eyes and looked over to the man next to me, my eyebrows raised in indignation.

"Oh really, is that so?" I asked dangerously. But the guy didn't seem to pick up on my tone.

"Yeah, there's no way you can handle it." He replied airily. I scoffed at him.

"Sweetheart, I could drink you under the table any day." I laughed, turning my attention back to my drink. I can't believe some people.

"I seriously doubt that," The guy replied lowly. I turned to look him in the eye. Bloodshot, that's no surprise.

"So, what? You want me to prove it?" I asked him.

"No need, there's no way you'll beat me."

"Oh, I'll prove it," I said stubbornly. "Jake," Jake looked at me from the sink. "Pour us a line of shots."

"You mean a round?" he asked hopefully. He knew what I was doing.

"No, I mean a line." I smiled softly. He sighed at me and pulled out the shot glasses.

"Do we really have to do this again, Will?" He asked me.

"Yes, yes we do." I smiled at him.

He sighed and set about pouring shots of vodka as I explained what was happening to my new "companion". "So, basically, we go shot for shot and whoever falls over, gives up, or vomits first, is the loser. Loser has to pay for the shots and gives the winner thirty quid. Sound fair?"

"Can we make loser gives winner fifty quid? That way I get more money." I replied confidently.

"That works for me, sweetheart." I laughed shaking his hand. "Hope you have the money on you." I returned my focus back to the bar where Jake was setting the shots out for us. I grabbed the one on my end and held it up to my _companion_ before knocking it back in one. He did the same with his and we moved onto the next glass. Five more shots in, my eyes were swimming ever-so-slightly, and the man across from me looked a little light-headed.

"You good mate? You look a little peaky." I asked casually.

"I- I'm fine." He stuttered slightly. I grinned and picked up the next glass. I knocked it back and he quickly followed, cringing at the taste. The nine-shot mark was when he started swaying on his feet, and when I really had to piss. My mind continued to blur at the edges and I was vaguely aware of two sets of eyes watching me from across the room, one blue, one grey. Four more shots in was when he hit the ground. His body tilted sideways and he didn't quite have enough time to grab the edge of the bar to steady himself, and down he went. He hit the ground like a sack of potatoes and stared up at me pathetically. I bent down slightly and held my hand out to him to help him up and he grasped my hand tight. I hauled him to his feet and my vision swam in front of me at the sudden movement. H e leaned against the bar as his mind caught up with his body and he realised he'd lost.

"The only reason I lost was because I'd had more to drink than you beforehand!" He complained.

"Actually, Willow had drunk nearly twice as much as you had beforehand," Jake stated, wiping out a glass. "Now pay up, a bet's a bet."

The man scowled as he dug through his wallet to find the money for the drinks. He slammed it on the table and went to walk away.

"Uh, uh, uh," I called. "Where's my fifty quid?" I smirked as he riffled through his money and threw a fifty-pound note at me. "Cheers, love!" I called after him.

I turned and smiled at Jake as he chuckled behind the counter and downed the last of the scotch that was in my old glass. I turned and saw Sirius and the girl he was talking to earlier standing very close to each other and talking in quiet tones. I watched as he brushed a loose strand out of her face and brought his hand down to cup her cheek. My eyes widened when she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into a rough kiss. I laughed quietly but wasn't all-together surprised. Sirius had that effect on people. I glanced at the four remaining shots on the bar, contemplating taking one but decided against and dashed off to the toilet.

When I came back, I found Sirius standing at the bar, his hand on the woman's back. They each downed two shots and shook their heads at the taste. I sidled up to the bar and smiled at Sirius and his new "friend".

"Willow, there's no way you're not drunk right now." Sirius said by ways of greetings. I smiled at him and shook my head.

"Yeah, I'm absolutely smashed," I laughed in response. Both the woman (I still didn't know her name) and Sirius chuckled at me. Sirius, seeming to realise that we didn't know each other, began introductions.

"Willow, this Olivia, we… get along quite nicely," he smiled. "Olivia, this is Willow, one of my closest friends." I pulled a flattered face and shook Olivia's hand when she held it out to me.

"Call me Ollie," she said in a smooth voice.

"Ok, Ollie." I replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, but I need a smoke." I leaned across the counter and managed to snag the sleeve of my jacket, pulling it towards me. I rummaged around in my pockets, pulling out my lighter and pack of cigarettes. I was about to flip the pack open when Jake snatched it and my jacket out of my hands, leaving me with a useless lighter.

"Jake!" I complained loudly. "What the hell?"

"No, Willow." He started. "I will let you drink as much as you want and get away with you're shenanigans, but I will not let you smoke on my property."

"What if I go off the property?" I asked stupidly. Jake just gave me a look that said: _wow-you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me-you-aren't-really-that-stupid-right?_ How I got all that from a look, don't ask.

"No."

"My liver's already dead, why not my lungs as well?"

"Because you kind of need them to live."

"You need your liver as well, it's kind of in the name: _live_ -er."

"Do you want me to cut you off from alcohol?"

I gasped. "Please don't this is all I have."

"Hey, what about me?" Sirius asked from behind me.

I gave him a pointed look over my shoulder and he just grinned at me. I turned back to Jake and opened my mouth to say something when I was cut off.

"Willow, just take one of mine,"

I turned and looked at Olivia – Ollie – as she pulled a pack of menthol blues from her pocket. She pulled one from the pack and held it out to me. I grabbed it before Jake could and mock bowed towards them as I backed towards the door. The second I stepped outside, I popped the cigarette in my mouth and sparked the lighter, holding my hand in front of it to protect it from the wind. I snapped the lighter shut when the cigarette lit, the cherry glowing in the dark of the night. I took along drag, filling my lungs with the smoke and breathed it out through my nose.

Ten minutes later, I ground the butt out, smearing the ash against the cobblestones with the toe of my boot. I bent down to pick the butt up and dropped it in the ash tray on the way back inside. I shivered from the cold as I returned to the bar, thanking Olivia.

"Well," Olivia sighed. "It is my time to bow out, I have work in the morning." She looked up at Sirius and pulled him into a long, hard kiss.

"See you around, Sirius," she said quietly as Jake passed her a jacket. "Bye, Willow, Jake." We waved her goodbye and watched as she walked out the door and into the cold wind.

"Well she was interesting," I said breaking the quiet. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Damn right she was," he murmured into his glass. Jake passed me another drink, of what I was unsure. And to be completely honest, I didn't really care. He kept the drinks coming and we kept drinking them. When the point came where I was leaning against the bar, half asleep, my eyes swimming from the alcohol intake, and my feet didn't want to stay on the ground, we decided to call it a night. Sirius was almost as bad as me, and was laughing over nothing as he nursed a glass of scotch.

"How 'bout we finish the night of with a couple of shots of Green Fairy?" I slurred, lifting my head from the bench. Jake sighed as he turned to look at us and the mess we'd made of ourselves.

"If I give you shots of Green Fairy, will you fuck off and go home?" he asked tiredly. We both nodded enthusiastically and he passed us our coats and things to put on while he poured the shots. He passed to little glasses of green liquid the smelt like aniseed. We poured them into our mouths simultaneously, both of us cringing at the taste.

We then loudly said our goodbyes and stumbled out the door, leaving not quite enough money on the bar. The door slammed shut behind us and I pulled my beanie down over my ears to protect them from the cold. Sirius clumsily wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his warm side. We stumbled our way down to the road and hailed a taxi that happened to be driving by. He pulled up and we climbed in the back seat.

"Where to?" The driver asked, taking in our drunken state with an amused expression.

"Grimauld Place!" I exclaimed.

"What number, love?" He asked again.

"End of the road will be fine, thanks, mate," Sirius answered for me. The driver raised his eyebrows and asked if we were sure. We said yes. On the ride back home, Sirius and I found amusement the most un-funny things, and we laughed as I leaned against his shoulder. When the driver pulled up on the end of Grimauld Place, we got out and payed him a twenty, telling him to keep the change. We then stumbled home in the dark, and tripped up the stairs to the hidden house. Sirius turned the door handle, the house-wards automatically recognising him and we stumbled inside, where I proceeded to trip of the goblin-foot umbrella stand and hit the ground with a thump loud enough to wake the house. Me and Sirius laughed "quietly" as he dragged me to my feet and we fumbled our way up the stairs. I opened the door and we both collapsed on my bed, toeing off our shoes in the process. I climbed under the covers as I was cold and Sirius soon joined me, his body half on top of me. After a couple minutes of uncomfortable grunts, we got comfortable and dozed of into an alcohol induced sleep.

A/N I know I said this would be up soon, but I lied. OOPS. But here it is, I know the end seemed a bit rushed but I'm lazy and don't want to fix it right now. Maybe I will later, but not right now. I hope you enjoyed! PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!

Songs used in the last chapter:

E-X-P-R-E-S-S – from Burlesque

Sit Still, Look Pretty – Daya

trainingfortheballetpotter


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